Compressor



Feb. 3, 1948. B. w. BARLOW 2,435,528 I cournnsson Filed Au 16, 1946 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Benjamin 4/. Barlow .0 I @fmwzh AllnrneyCOMPRESSOR Filed Aug. 16, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g y j m m AllorneyPatented Feb. 3, 1948 2,435,528 COMPRESSOR Benjamin William Barlow,London, England, as-

signor to D. Napier & Son Limited, London, England, a company of GreatBritain Application August 16, 1946, Serial No. 690,935 In Great BritainJuly 18, 1945 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to internal combustion engine power plants andhas for its object to provide an improved mounting for an axial flowturbine driven compressor forming a part of such a plant when thecompressor is placed above and supported on the engine. The inventionapplies more especially to a power plant of the general type comprisingan engine which drives the propeller of an aircraft and also acompressor, the exhaust gases from the engine acting on a turbine whichdrives an axial fiow compressor and also a second propeller.

According to this invention the shaft of the rotor of the axial flowcompressor is carried in a bearing at one end by the casing enclosingthe rotor and this casing at that end is carried on the part whichsupports the whole compressor and in a manner which permits the casingto float without rotation on that supporting part, while at its otherend the casing is carried through a bearing, which may be of theself-aligning type, by the adjacent end of the shaft of the rotor whichin turn is carried through a bearing which may be of the self -a1igningtype, by the said part which supports the compressor, this arrangementtending to prevent any distortion of the supporting part from beingtransmitted to the casing and the rotor within it. That end of thenon-rotating casing within which the one end of the rotor shaft iscarried in a bearing is supported by the part on which it is mounted ina manner which permitsmovement between the casing and that supportingpart while actual rotation of the casing is prevented by interengagingmembers respectively disposed on the casing and on the part on which itis mounted. In one arrangement a spherical joint serves as theconnecting support between the one end of the compressor casing and thepart on which it is mounted. In another arrangement a universal joint isinterposed between the one end of the casing and the part on which it ismounted this joint serving as the support for that end of the casing.

In the engine of an aircraft some degree of distortion is liable tooccur and if this is transmitted to a 'multi-stage axial flow compressormounted on the engine may cause the blading to suffer damage of aserious nature. However, with the compressor mounted in the manner nowproposed distortions of the part or parts which support the casing ofthe compressor will not tend to be communicated to that casing owing tothe way in which it can yield or float as a whole in relation to theengine below it. No tendency for the rotor shaft to be distorted willoccur 2 since it is partly carried in bearings by the casing and atleast one of the bearings for the shaft is as mentioned of theself-aligning type.

The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of example two alternativearrangements that may be employed in carrying the invention intopractice.

In these drawings,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation illustrating one way inwhich the compressor and the rotor within it may be mounted on some partof an internal combustion engine.

Figure 2 is atransverse section on the line 2- in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation illustrating analternative arrangement of the mounting.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the rotor A has one end portion B of itsshaft carried in a bearing C of normal type in an end plate D of thecasing of the compressor. At the other end of the rotor which is theintake end, that end portion B of its shaft is carried in aself-aligning hearing E supported by a pedestal F forming part of orotherwise carried by the part G on'which the whole compressor ismounted. This may be the internal combustion engine or some part of astructure which is itself rigidly'connected to the engine. The endportion B of the rotor shaft is connected preferably through a flexiblecoupling H to the shaft J of a turbine, not shown in the drawing, whichdrives the compressor. The other end portion B of the rotor shaft issimilarly connectedthrough a flexible coupling H to a shaft J throughwhich, and preferably through gearing, a propeller can be driven.

The casing K of the rotor A with the blading fixed therein is supportedat one and through a bearing L on the end portion B of the shaft of therotor. At this end of the casing, which is the intake end, a suitablepassage M carried by the structure G leads into the compressor. At theother end of the casing is a suitably formed delivery passage andsealing K is there arranged between the casing K and the adjacent part Gof the fixed structure so as to avoid leakage in the delivery from thecasing. At this end the casing, which through its end plate D carriesthe end portion B of a rotor shaft, is itself sup ported through auniversal joint by the part G of the structure on which the compressoris mounted. This universal joint comprises a sleeve D projecting fromthe end plate D and formin an inner member having oppositely projectinggudgeon pins D These are carried in. an outer assumes annulus N which inturn has oppositely directed gudgeon pins N rotatabiy carried in thepart G of the fixed structure.

This arrangement constitutes a universal joint resembling a gimbalmounting 'and serves to prevent distortions of the engine or of the parton which the compressor is mounted from bein communicated to thecompressor casing. thus avoiding the risk of damage to the compressorwhich through its casing K floats on the part on which it is mounted.

To prevent the casing K from rotating variousmeans may be employed, buta convenient arrangement for example at the deiiverysend is to form orattach to the end plate D an, annulus with inwardly directed teeth orprojections adapted to engage a ring of corresponding outwardly directedteeth or similar projections on a part of the fixed structure. Thisarrangement is shown by way of example in Figure 3 with reference towhich it will be described hereunder. It will thus be -seen that at oneend the rotor A is wholly carried by its casing Kwhich at one end isitself supported through a universal joint while at the other end thecasing is carried through a bearing L by a part B of the rotor shaftwhich in turn is carried through a bearing E which may be of theself-aligning type on the part G on which the compressor is mounted.

Referring to the alternative arrangement shown in Figure 3. in this casewhile at the intake end the casing K is supported as in the previouslydescribed arrangement in a bearing L on the end portion B of the shaftof the rotor A, which itself is carried in a self-aligning or otherbearing E by the part F on the supporting structure G, at the deliveryend the end plate D of the casing is formed with a curved part Dconstituting the inner part of a spherical joint which rests in asuitably curved bearing mounted on a pedestal (Ii forming part of thestructure G on which the compressor is mounted. This arrangementprovides a floating mounting for the delivery end of the casing. Therotation of the latter is prevented by providing the end plate D of thecasing with an annulus having inwardly projecting teeth I) which engagea. corresponding annulus with outwardly directed teeth 0 carried by thefixed part of the spherical bearing 0. 3

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:I

1. An axialfiow compressor comprising in combination a part on which thecompressor is mounted, a rotor, a casing enclosing the rotor.

a hearing at the first end of the casing in which is carried one end ofthe shaft of the rotor, a support for the said first end or the casingbe bination a part on which the compressor is 1 mounted, a rotor, acasing enclosing the rotor,

a hearing at the first end of the casing in which is carried one end ofthe shaft of the rotor, a support for the said first end 01 the casingincluding a universal joint between it and the said part on which thecompressor is mounted such support with the universal. joint permittingthe casing to float without rotation with respect to the said part onwhich the compressor is mounted, a hearing at the second end of thecasing and by which it is carried on the second and adjacent end of theshaft of the rotor, and a, bearing in which the second end of the shaftof the rotor is carried by the said part on which-the compressor ismounted.

3. An axial flow compressor comprising in combination a part on whichthe compressor is mounted, a rotor, a casing enclosing the rotor, ahearing at the first end of the casing in which is carried one end ofthe shaft of the rotor, gimbals forming a connection between the saidfirst end of the casing and the part .on which the compressor ismounted, the gimbals serving to support the end of the casing on thesaid part in a manner which permits the casing to float without rotationwith respect to the said part, a hearing at the second end of the casingand by which it is carried on the second and adjacent end of the shaftof the rotor, and a bearing in which the second end of the shaft of therotor is carried by the said part on which the compressor is mounted.

' BENJAli/IIN WILLIAM BARLOW.

